


Backwards Operations

by ttfan111robstar1



Series: Little Sebby [5]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Agni is a good Papa, Agni is a proud Papa, Agni is perceptive, Blankets, Bottle Feedings, Ciel Phantomhive is Annoyed, Ciel is exasperated, Elizabeth demands adorableness, Elizabeth is hyper, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Excessive Snuggling, Fashion Shows, Fluff, Gen, Hypnotism, Pacifiers, Sebastian gets Hypnotized, Soma is nice, Stuffed Toys, sebastian is adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:48:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24296872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttfan111robstar1/pseuds/ttfan111robstar1
Summary: A little hypnotism goes a long way when it's a demon doing the hypnotizing and another one being hypnotized. Thankfully, Papa is there to help.
Relationships: Agni & Sebastian Michaelis, Agni & Soma Asman Kadar, Ciel Phantomhive & Agni, Elizabeth Midford/Ciel Phantomhive, Sebastian Michaelis & Ciel Phantomhive, Soma Asman Kadar & Ciel Phantomhive
Series: Little Sebby [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751755
Comments: 18
Kudos: 38





	1. Hypnosis

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for coming to this round of Little Sebby, and the first multi-chapter fic in the series.
> 
> Special thanks to FandomObscure for your comment on Sebby's Sick Day. I cried in a good way. That meant a lot to me.
> 
> Extra special thanks to Tori for helping me give our villain a name! Hope the cuteness makes you need a shipload of towels XD
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy it!

Aayush Bhatt was a renowned name in the Indian community. The finest hypnotist India had to offer. So when word began traveling that he was in England, it wasn’t long before word reached the house of Phantomhive. And, when several people began to disappear in the process, it didn’t take long for Ciel Phantomhive to suspect that the two events were connected. He’d decided to enlist the help of Prince Soma and Agni for this one. As an Indian Prince, Soma held authority over this man in his own country, which might help if his own was questioned. As for Agni, he held extra muscle, which was always good to have handy.

Sebastian would never admit to his master the joy he felt at having Agni nearby. It was certain to mean time with Papa later, and he couldn’t wait for that. His little self was dancing beneath the surface, just waiting to arise. But he was, for now, buried under the hardened steel of Sebastian’s cultivated butler persona, and bound by his master’s orders to make the disappearances stop. Indulgence would have to take a backseat, for the moment. Now, he had a job to do, and a butler took his job very seriously, no matter how menial the task.  
  
When he arrived face to face with Aayush himself, however, he realized this was going to be no menial task.

He could sense the power in Aayush, and knew he would have to be very, very careful. This was no human he was dealing with. Because of that, along with his skills in hypnosis, he proved to be a formidable enemy. His master commanding him to stop him, to beat him, did not ease the worry lodging itself in his gut. This was going to be far more complicated than killing a few measly humans.

He was very careful to only look at Aayush’s hair. Not once did he look at his eyes or hands. He knew from his last visit to India that there was a Hindi hypnosis technique involving hands. However, when he saw Aayush getting close to his master, he had no choice.  
  
“Master!” He shouted, and removed his wool tailcoat, midair, and threw it over his face to keep him from seeing, but found himself caught in the crosshairs. He caught sight of Aayush’s hands, and suddenly found himself unable to look away.  
  
Ciel threw the tailcoat off of himself in a fit of anger. “Sebastian, what was-“ He said, before he caught sight of his butler.  
  
He was staring vapidly at the man’s hands, face smooth as porcelain, and yet still as a statue. Aayush was murmuring something in another language that he couldn’t understand.  
  
“What the hell?” Ciel said to himself. “A human hypnotist would have no power over him. So that means…”  
  
Just as he was about to say it, he saw Aayush’s eyes glow pinkish-red.  
  
In that instant, Sebastian dropped to the ground.

“Sebastian!” Ciel called, feeling actual concern make his stomach churn.  
  
In the very next second Agni stood in front of the Earl. “Please, My Lord, stay back! Keep your eyes closed and put your hands over your ears! It is not safe for you or My Prince. I will deal with him.”  
  
Agni took in a breath, feeling anger ignite inside of him as he unwrapped his blessed hand. Channeling every bit of Samadhi he knew, he went at Aayush with all his might.

Whether it was because of his goddess-blessed hand, or because of his Samadhi, he managed to render Aayush unconscious for the time being. Then, acting quickly, he did the only thing he could think to and said a prayer of exorcism low enough for only Aayush to hear. Black smoke ascended up from the supposed human body, before it vanished with a shriek.  
  
Taking a short second to breathe, he could at last see what happened while he was involved in his fight.  
  
As Agni had fought Aayush, Sebastian had opened his eyes. Ciel had breathed a sigh of relief at that.  
  
“Sebastian. What the hell were you thinking, going at him like that? You knew better.” Ciel snapped.  
  
Sebastian turned to face him, but something was off. His eyes weren’t the same. They looked… Scared? But that was impossible wasn’t it?  
  
When Sebastian let out a whimper, Ciel began to have doubts.  
  
“Sebastian?” He asked.

He watched, in a daze, as Sebastian began to cry. There were actual _tears_ coming from his eyes. How was that even possible?  
  
Then, Sebastian let out an ear-shattering wail that made Ciel jump.  
  
The second Agni heard it, he realized what had happened. All at once, he felt very calm. He walked over to the fallen butler, and picked him up, cradling him gently to his chest and rubbing his back.  
  
“There, there, Shishu. There is no need to cry. All is well.” He said calmly.  
  
Slowly, Agni’s words and ministrations had an effect. The wailing died down, as did the crying, until he only sniffled.

In the next moment, Sebastian began to twiddle one of the buttons on Agni’s shirt, as Ciel got to his feet, confused and infuriated in equal measure.  
  
“What the bloody hell did that man do to him?!” He demanded.  
  
Agni looked up. “Forgive me for not explaining, Lord Phantomhive. In India there is a hypnotism technique called NRP. It means Neuro Reprogramming. It is generally used to reprogram the mind to think in a positive way, but as you can see, Aayush found other ways to use it and combined it with the Hindi tradition of using one’s hands for hypnosis. In this case, he reprogrammed your butler’s mind to that of a six month old infant. Not to worry, however. It is reversible. He did not have too long an exposure to it, and he appears very resilient, so I would suppose he will be back to normal in a few days.”  
  
“Why that, though? If he were to hypnotize him, why not something else?”  
  
“It appeared to me that he intended it for you, but your butler stepped in to protect you. My guess is that if he reduced you to that state, Sebastian would have had no choice but to abandon the fight to care for you, leaving him free to finish what he began here.”  
  
Ciel felt an odd twinge of guilt at that. Sebastian had taken a large bullet for him this time.  
  
“You’re certain he’ll be fine in a few days, then?”  
  
“I assure you, he will be. I would be happy to help care for him until then for you so that you may still attend to your business matters without worry.” Agni offered.  
  
“Yes… Yes, that would do nicely, I suppose. Far better than the alternative,” he said, trying to imagine himself, Mei-Rin, Finny, and Bard trying to care for him- and cringing at the thought.  
  
“Excellent,” he said. He looked to Prince Soma. “Forgive me, my prince, for offering without your consent. Please, do I have your blessing to do this for Lord Phantomhive?”  
  
Prince Soma smiled. “But of course. It will give me a few days to catch up with my good friend Ciel. It will be a nice change from the townhouse."  
  
“Thank you, My Prince.” Agni said, bowing to him.

With that worry done, he turned back to his boy, whose face was now dry of tears, and was sucking on two gloved fingers.  
  
Gently, he removed them from his mouth. “No, no, Shishu. That will make you ill. We’ll find you something to enjoy when we get back, I promise.” He said.  
  
Sebastian let out a whine of protest, and Agni chuckled.  
  
“I know, you are not happy with me, are you? That’s alright.” He said.  
  
Sebastian pouted, much as he could, before grumpily laying his head back on Papa’s chest.

“What is that you called him?” Ciel asked.  
  
“‘Shishu’, you mean?” Agni asked. At Ciel’s affirming nod, he spoke again. “It is a Hindi word, meaning baby in English.”  
  
“Why call him that anyways? We both know that is not what he is. It baffles me why you would treat him that way.”  
  
“Ah, Lord Phantomhive, you have not been around babies much, have you?” He asked with a smile.  
  
“No. What’s your point?”  
  
“My point is that every living creature, from the smallest ants to the largest bears, need affection to thrive. No creature on this planet can survive without it, or at least the memory of it. It is what gives us strength to carry on. Babies in particular need affection. Without it, they do not form attachments to others, which gives way to problems in behavior in the future. Even you, Lord Phantomhive, carry the memory of affection. It is how you are able to fight so well. Because of whom you fight for.”  
  
Momentarily taken aback by Agni’s perceptiveness, it took him a bit longer than normal to respond.  
  
“Fine. Let’s get out of here, then. And don’t let anybody see him. I can’t imagine the disgrace that would bring to my family name.” Ciel said, picking up his walking stick to go home.  
  
“As you wish.” He said.  
  
Ciel then walked back to the Manor with Soma accompanying him, as Agni took a route that was far more discreet. Dodging people, as they come. He was grateful for the time away, even if it was spent finding less direct routes to the manor, because it meant a bit of time alone with his boy. He knew, no matter what Aayush had done to him, that Sebby knew who his Papa was. Otherwise, he would not have calmed so quickly in his presence. That brought immense comfort to him.  
  
“Papa will care for you, Shishu. I promise.” He said softly.

Sebby did not seem to notice the words, instead trying to play with Papa’s braid instead. The way he batted at it reminded Agni a bit of a cat. Speaking of which, he would probably have to get Midnight from the trunk for his boy. Kali knew he needed it. It might do well for him to go directly to Sebastian’s room when arriving at the manor, and to pretend that they were supplies he gathered for him.

When he at last arrived at the manor, he managed to slip into Sebastian’s room without drawing the attention of the young Lord or his master. There, he shut the door, set his boy down, and got out his beloved toy, and his Red pacifier.  
  
“Here you are, Shishu.” He said, and held out the toy.  
  
Sebastian let out a high-pitched squeal at the sight of his beloved Midnight and grabbed her, cuddling her to his chest. Agni used that moment to slip the pacifier in his mouth.  
  
“That’s a boy. You’re a happy little one now, aren’t you?” He smiled, stroking his babe’s hair.  
  
Sebby, perhaps in response, let out a giggle.  
  
He stayed in the room perhaps half an hour, before closing the trunk, and going down the wall to the front door of the manor, knocking on it.  
  
It was Tanaka who answered, giving him a stoic look for the moment.  
  
“My apologies to Lord Phantomhive for my tardiness. I was getting a few things for the little one.” Agni smiled.  
  
Tanaka smiled. “Of course. Come in.”  
  
Carrying Sebby, he went in.  
  
He found his Prince and Lord Phantomhive in the drawing room. “My apologies to you both for my lateness. I was picking up a few things for this little one.”  
  
Ciel immediately took note of the stuffed animal. In the second it took to realize it wasn’t alive, his shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “I should have known it would be a cat that he wants to carry around everywhere. He’s obsessed with the creatures.” He sighed.

Agni chuckled. “I would say so.” He said, though he knew it all too well already.  
  
“Will you be able to care for him and help with meals?” Ciel asked. “Bard is positively hopeless in the kitchen without using explosives.”  
  
“I do not think it will be an issue. He’ll likely be asleep during your dinner.” Agni said.  
  
“But he doesn’t-“ Ciel paused. He couldn’t give Sebastian’s true identity away to this man. “He doesn’t ever sleep during the day.”  
  
“Perhaps not normally, but babies need far more sleep than we do. I have a feeling he’ll be ready for a nap soon enough.” Agni smiled, looking down at Sebastian, who had a fistful of his shirt in his grip.  
  
“Very well.” Ciel said. “Just don’t let him scream in the night and wake me.”  
  
“I will do my best, Lord Phantomhive.” He said.  
  
“Agni?”  
  
“Your Highness?”  
  
“Can you bring us some of your curry for dinner?”  
  
“Certainly, Highness. It would be my pleasure.” He smiled.  
  
Prince Soma smiled at him, and he was embraced by the same feeling he always got when that happened- Like he was staring at the sun.

He smiled back, before he carried Sebby back to his room.  
  
When the door was shut, he set his little one in his lap. “Alright, Shishu. It is time for you to nap now.” He said soothingly.  
  
Sebby, oblivious, continued cuddling midnight.  
  
Agni sighed. He figured it wouldn’t be that easy.  
  
Ever since the revelation of what Sebastian truly was, they had had several discussions on what Demons did or didn’t do that humans did. Sleep was one of them. Demons did not require sleep, but used it as a form of recreation. But if the hypnosis he was given was that of a human baby, then he would need it.

He recalled Sebastian saying that he could digest human food, but it would not satisfy him. Perhaps a bottle of warm milk held the answer he needed.  
  
He grabbed a bottle from the trunk- one of the many new additions that had come to be there as the months had ticked on- before he shut it and headed for the kitchen. He was not one for hoping that a place was empty, but today, for Sebby’s sake, he hoped it would be. Mercifully, his prayers were answered. The kitchen was empty, and he was able to prepare a bottle of warm milk for his little one.

When the bottle was ready, he took him back to his room, and sat down on the luxuriously soft mattress with him. When his Shishu was secure in his lap, he took his pacifier out and offered him the nipple of the bottle as a replacement. Sebby looked dubious about it for just a moment, before he began to nurse it. Agni, in turn, breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
Then, He began to sing a soft lullaby. This would perhaps be the true test of the kind of hypnosis he was under. If it was a human baby he was regressed to, Agni could count on at least _some_ sleep. If it were a demon… Who knew?  
  
Mercifully, he found out. Soon after he began to sing, Sebby’s eyes began to droop shut, and his suckles on the bottle became less intense. Slowly, his eyes were beginning to shut, fluttering open on occasion until finally they didn’t reopen, and his suckling on the bottle was only occasional, the way he’d use a pacifier.  
  
Agni waited a few minutes to be sure he was asleep before he exchanged the bottle for the pacifier. Not much remained of the milk inside of it. All but a few drops.

He set the bottle aside, and simply watched Sebby sleep. It was always a curious thing. He’d been fascinated with that ever since he’d learned that demons only slept for fun.  
  
_“Does that mean you dream?”_ He’d asked.  
  
_“The dead don’t dream, you know. But we can do a bit of lucid dreaming, should we so choose. Though it isn’t very immersive.”_ Had been Sebastian’s response.  
  
However, now that the hypnosis had given him so many traits of a human baby, he wondered if Sebastian could dream now. He’d have to ask someday, when all of this was behind them. Until then, he was content to watch his little one dream for as long as he could.  
  
His gaze occasionally drifted to the grandfather clock in the room. The clock, he’d learned, was a great master for many things. It was nearing time for him to prepare dinner. He did not want to end the moment so soon, but he had no choice. Lord Phantomhive and his Prince were depending on him, and he could not let them down.  
  
Cautiously, he got up from the bed, careful not to wake his sleeping babe. He grabbed a few pillows, and a blanket, before he headed to the kitchen. From years of experience multitasking, he managed to set up a small area for his boy, while still holding him. Then, he laid him down carefully. The blanket was spread out on the floor, and there were pillows surrounding him so that he could not move off of it. He knew that six month old’s were just beginning to try to crawl, and he wanted to head that off in here. Instead, he knew that Sebby would not be able to roll over either way with the pillows blocking him, though he might have been able to sit up without support. Still, if he could not go forward, that was all that mattered.  
  
With a light breath of relief, he got to work making Curry for his master and Lord Phantomhive.  
  
In a stroke of luck, Sebby didn’t wake until he was nearly done. He heard the sound of a small yawn, like the cooing of a dove, and turned. Sure enough, his little one was barely awake, but looked to be trying to reach for him. He smiled, and moved his curry to a burner on the stove that wasn’t hot, and went to him.  
  
“Hello Shishu. Did you have a nice nap?” He asked softly, picking him up.  
  
Sebby merely snuggled into him for warmth, letting out a contented sigh.  
  
“That good, hmm?” He smiled. “That’s good. How about you help Papa give Prince Soma and Lord Phantomhive dinner, hmm?” He said, and got out two bowls from the cupboard. He took Sebby’s hand in his own, wrapped it around the wooden spoon in the pot, and helped him spoon the curry into bowls. When it was plated, he grinned.  
  
“You were a very big help, little one!” He smiled.  
  
Sebby, not understanding, but pleased at his Papa’s tone, giggled.  
  
“Come, let’s help with dinner.” He said, loading the curry and drinks onto the serving cart, before wheeling it out to the dining room.  
  
His Prince and Lord Phantomhive were awaiting him. Smiling, he served them both.  
  
“Tonight I have for you an Egg Curry in Bengal style, along with some mashed potatoes and a side of beef fillet. I hope you enjoy.” He smiled.  
  
“Thank you, Agni.” Prince Soma smiled.  
  
“Yes, Thank you.” Ciel said, seemingly bored.  
  
“You are both welcome. Please, let me know whenever you are finished so that I may clear your plates. But for the moment, I ask that you both excuse me as I get this little one fed.” He said, bowing to them both, before he took Sebby to the kitchen. Setting him back down on the blanket with pillows for a few minutes, He fashioned something as close to a high chair as he could manage from a chair in the kitchen and an older serving tray. He got a few bananas and mashed them up in a bowl, and decided to try and feed him. He wasn’t sure how much he would eat, or if he even would at all, but it was worth a try.  
  
Getting a spoon, he tried to give him a bite. “Open wide, Shishu. Dinner time.” He said softly.  
  
To his intrigue, Sebby opened for him. Curious about his reaction, he slid the spoon into his mouth, then took it out.  
  
Three seconds later, Mashed Banana was splattered on his Sherwani and Churidar.  
  
Agni couldn’t help but sigh. This was going to be far more of a challenge than he thought.  
  



	2. Adjusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's bath time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little filler chapter for the time being, full of fluff. Hopefully I will have more exciting plot for you all soon!

Agni could not remember feeling such an intense mixture of emotions in his life.   
  
Profound love, Intense frustration, Absolute joy, and utter exhaustion all clashed within his system at one time. And all of it was connected with his little one.  
  
Sebby as a babe was absolutely a blessing, but he was not without his challenges. Figuring out which human traits he’d inherited due to his hypnosis and which demonic ones he’d retained was possibly the greatest challenge he’d been faced with. The capacity for sleep had been there in his demonic form, but was now required as it was in a human. Fluids were not required, but could be taken. Food… That was still questionable. His Shishu had covered him with most of the dinner he’d prepared for him, but _had_ eaten a few bites, though it got on his face, hands, and his clothes.

So now, naturally, a bath was in order.  
  
It had given Lord Phantomhive _quite_ the reason to snigger when he came to take his plates and was covered in Mashed Banana, though, so at least there was that. He’d gathered up the dishes from his Prince and Lord Phantomhive, cleaned them, and then cleaned up the mashed banana from the kitchen. Then, he’d put the kitchen back in order, took Sebby into his room, and given him a bit to play while he got the room set up for all they would need for the evening, getting out a diaper for his Shishu and a pair of pajamas, as well as fresh linens for bath time.

Currently, he was filling up the bath in the en suite, making sure the water temperature wasn’t too hot. Though, he couldn’t say what “too hot” might be, considering Sebastian wasn’t human. He filed that under things he needed to ask when this was all over. Now, though, it was time to get his little one bathed, and get himself a change of clothes.  
  
He went into the next room after turning the water off. His Shishu was currently sitting on the floor by the steamer trunk, slamming a rattle into the floor as though it were a hammer. He winced. That was certainly going to leave a divot in the flooring. But, it was a problem for another time.  
  
He smiled, and picked his little boy up. “Come, Shishu. It is bath time now.” He smiled. Sebby dropped the rattle, and allowed Papa to carry him to the bathroom.   
  
Agni undressed his babe, not without some difficulty. Sebby was apparently not a fan of Papa taking off all of the fun things he got to wear as a butler. There was no more glittery silver chain and no more buttons to play with and no more fun tails on his coat to suck on when he got bored. But there was a bath! That could be fun!  
  
Papa put him in the bathtub, and there was a ducky in there! It didn’t float, but it was pretty! It felt strange in his hands, but looked like it might be nice to chew on. He tried to put the head of it in his mouth, but Papa stopped him, and put in a Paci instead. He whined. Paci was less fun.  
  
“Duck is not for chewing, Shishu. Duck is for playtime.” He chided gently, before handing it back to him.   
  
Perhaps in protest of the unfair treatment, or perhaps because he was ready to throw a fit anyways, he lifted up his arms and let them smack down onto the water, soaking Papa when the water sloshed over the side.

Papa looked at him, kinda grumpy, and he giggled. His face looked funny.  
  
“You think that’s funny?” Papa asked. He was smiling now.  
  
He giggled again. Papa’s tone was nice.  
  
Then, there was water on him! Papa splashed him!

He didn’t do anything for a second. He was so surprised. Then, he heard Papa laugh. And it made him want to laugh. So they did. They laughed for a long time.

Then, Sebby tried to splash Papa again. It didn’t _quite_ work, but almost. It was close enough that it made him want to try again.  
  
And so, for a short while, they enjoyed a small splash fight. Until, that is, Sebby got tired of it and settled down to play with his rubber duck.   
  
Agni, in the meanwhile, began to wash his Shishu. Mercifully, the Mashed Banana was not dried in, so it wasn’t wasn’t too difficult to get out, but that did not mean it was easy. Sebby was a squirmy worm for him, twisting this way and that in the tub, Occasionally splashing him when he dropped the rubber duck in the water. Since it was solid rubber, it tended to create quite a wave.

He washed Sebby’s hair, and then his body, giving particular care to the places that got the worst of the mashed bananas, before bath time was ready to come to an end. He made sure a towel was at the ready before he took his babe from the tub, drying him off carefully. There was a fresh diaper waiting for him, and Agni was more than ready to get him in one and get him dressed so that he could change from his soiled clothes.  
  
Thankfully, compared to his undressing, his Shishu was docile as a lamb when getting into his diaper and pajamas. Agni supposed all the activity he’d done in the tub combined with the warmth of the water must have made his little one very sleepy. After he was dressed, he gave Sebby his favorite stuffed animal, and then was mercifully able to change his Sherwani.

After that, he felt they were both able to relax a bit. He carried Sebby to the bed, And cradled him closely. He could tell that his babe would be down for the count soon enough. So he rocked him, and hummed softly, watching as his eyes shut slowly, and the pacifier failed to bob again. He sighed softly with relief, though he did not know how long his boy would sleep for. It was best to try and rest as much as he could for the time being.  
  
So, blowing out the candelabra by the nightstand, he settled in beside his Shishu, and fell asleep.


	3. Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mornings in the Phantomhive household have really gone to the dogs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of drama in your day, folks.
> 
> Sorry for the late update. I cranked this thing out while I had a migraine. Some of it is keysmash. If you find mistakes, lemme know.

The next morning came, shockingly enough, without incident. Agni was surprised when he opened his eyes the first rays of morning sun coming in through the window. He found himself grateful that he hadn’t shut the curtains last night. It made it easier to tell the time in the morning.   
  
He turned over in his bed ever so slightly. His Shishu was sleeping soundly beside him. He hadn’t woken up or fussed once. Agni considered himself lucky. He knew very well his little one likely could have kicked up a fuss during the night, and yet he was still granted a full night’s sleep. He said a prayer of thanks to Kali for that. He decided to do his morning meditation in bed today, so as to not disturb the sleeping babe beside him.   
  
About halfway through his daily meditation, he felt the bed shift and looked over at Sebby. As he suspected, his little one was waking up. He gave a gentle smile.  
  
“Good morning, Shishu.” He said softly. “How did you sleep, hm?”  
  
Sebby merely blinked at him sleepily, and yawned.   
  
“How about we get you something to eat, little one?” He said, scooping him into his arms. Sebby, in response, curled into his warmth as they walked down the hall.

It was barely after sunrise. The most opportune time to care for his babe without the interruption of other people. After his Shishu was fed, he thought it best to check in on Prince Soma and Lord Phantomhive before he began preparing breakfast, and then wake up his master and the Earl.  
  
As with the evening before, he set his little one in a chair and used a serving cart as a tray table. A bowl of mashed kiwi was on the menu for his babe this morning for breakfast. Hopefully it would go over better than the mashed banana did last night and _not_ end up all over his Sherwani.

To his surprise, it went far better than the eve before. Wrapping a napkin around his Shishu’s neck was immensely helpful in keeping him clean, though there was still some traces of Kiwi on his face. Mercifully, that was easy to correct, and he got off stain-free for the time being. A solid start to any day if there could be one. He fixed his little one a bottle of warm milk, and got him fed, before he did what few dishes there were to do. That done, he went to check on his master and Lord Phantomhive.  
  
Prince Soma was still asleep, though that was not surprising. His master slept fairly late, in general. Lord Phantomhive seemed to arise far earlier in his eyes, but he too was still asleep for the time being. That settled, he grabbed a blanket and some pillows from his Shishu’s room to give him a small play area while he cooked, and got set up in the Kitchen.  
  
As Sebby played with his beloved stuffed cat, Agni busied himself with making breakfast. It was quite the challenge, since he was trying to do English cooking, but he thought he managed fairly well. Without any assistance from Chef Bardroy, he still managed to prepare scones, eggs, venison, and some cheese turnovers. Every so often, he looked at his Shishu, who seemed happy as a clam playing with his black cat toy. It was shaping up to be a good day.  
  
He made a pot of earl grey tea for Lord Phantomhive, and put it on the serving tray for him, before he plated everything for breakfast and set the dining room table.

When all was prepared for breakfast, He carried his Shishu to Lord Phantomhive’s bed chamber to wake him.  
  
He opened the curtains, and let the morning sun fill the room.   
  
“Good morning, Lord Phantomhive.” He greeted.  
  
Ciel gave a moan. “What?"  
  
“I have Earl Grey tea prepared for you this morning, and breakfast is awaiting you in the dining room.” He said, pouring the young earl a cup.  
  
It took Ciel a moment to focus, but when he caught sight of Sebastian being held in Agni’s arms, the events of yesterday came rushing back. Right. Sebastian was indisposed today. Well, at least Agni was punctual and prepared.  
  
“Thank you.” He said. He wasn’t particularly voluble in the mornings, however, seeing as Agni had taken over Sebastian’s position in his home so completely for the time being, _while caring for Sebastian himself_ , a little gratitude was in order. He was, after all, a Phantomhive. Hospitality was important.

“You’re quite welcome, Lord.” He said, offering the earl a cup of tea. “Do you need any assistance dressing for the day?”  
  
Though Ciel was _acutely_ uncomfortable with the idea, he wasn’t above knowing where his pitfalls were. Dressing was perhaps his biggest one. Or, at least the one he could admit to without feeling so dreadfully childish.  
  
“Yes.” It was a quiet whisper.  
  
“Very well then. Please, allow me to assist you.” He said, before setting Sebby down nearby. He knew he had to be very vigilant to keep his little one in check, but he could help out if he was quick enough.  
  
Mercifully, Sebby was pliant and docile for the time being. He hardly moved except to play with Midnight.   
  
Ciel watched him as he was being dressed. It was so _terribly fascinating_ to see Sebastian like this. Horrifying as it might have been to see his butler incapacitated, it was fascinating to watch him now. He’d never seen Sebastian show much emotion besides forced politeness, barely-restrained anger, and lack of concern. Now, he smiled and cried and had perhaps every emotion there could be. Not to mention that seeing him playing with toys and sucking a pacifier were, in his eyes, greatly entertaining.

When he was dressed, he picked up the china saucer and cup, sipping the Earl Grey tea that had been poured out for him, as Agni picked up Sebastian from the floor. “Is there anything on the schedule for today? Sebastian usually has the schedule written out a few days in advance.”  
  
“No, Lord. There is nothing of particular note today. Merely your lessons for the day. I can tutor you if you please.” Agni smiled.  
  
“Very well.” He said.  
  
“Please, excuse me Lord Phantomhive. I must wake my master.”  
  
“Yes.” Ciel said, taking another sip of tea.  
  
With that, Agni went to his master’s room, and opened the curtains.  
  
“Good morning, My Prince. It is time to wake.” He smiled.  
  
Prince Soma sat up in bed. “Agni…? What time is it?”  
  
“It is seven in the morning, my prince. My apologies for waking you earlier than normal, but I thought you would like to have breakfast with young Lord Phantomhive.”  
  
“Ciel?”  
  
“Yes, My Prince. He is dressed and getting ready to go to breakfast as we speak.”  
  
“I suppose I will get up, then.”

“Very good, your highness.”

He helped his Prince dress for the day, and then watched him spring out of the bedroom to the dining table.   
  
Picking up his Shishu, he smiled. “That’s the morning routine done, then, eh, little one?” He smiled.  
  
Sebby, in response, just babbled gibberish.  
  
“What will we do next? Well, we’ll go see how our masters are doing.” He smiled, and walked down to the dining room.  
  
When he arrived in the dining room, his Prince was chatting animatedly with Lord Phantomhive, who appeared utterly bored in comparison.

He came up to them, smiling. “Is everything to your liking, Lord Phantomhive? Prince Soma?”  
  
“Yes, Agni. Thank you.” Prince Soma enthused.  
  
“Yes. Thank you.” Lord Phantomhive said, looking a bit bored.  
  
“It is my pleasure.” He smiled. “Please, feel free to call upon me whenever you need to. I will be in Sebastian’s chamber should you need me.”  
  
“Very good. Thank you, Agni.” Prince Soma said.  
  
He bowed. “My prince. Lord Phantomhive.” He said, before he left.  
  
He grabbed the blanket and pillows from the kitchen, before setting them up in the bathroom so that he could bathe and keep an eye on his Shishu. His babe seemed perfectly content as long as he could see that Papa was nearby.   
  
He was able to bathe in relative peace, and dress in the same manner. Sebby had been perfectly cherubic this morning for him.  
  
Which, as with any parent, gave way to worrying about what exactly would come to ruin that.  
  
The answer came around eleven o’clock.  
  
He had been sitting in the drawing room with Sebby in his lap and his prince at his side while Lord Phantomhive was attempting to play 6 Études à plusieurs parties in E-flat major by Heinrick Wilhelm Ernst. Then, suddenly, Finnian had come bursting into the room.  
  
“My Lord!” He cried.  
  
Ciel’s Violin screeched as he was startled and he set it down.  
  
“Finny, what on earth is so bloody important that you’re interrupting my studies?” He said, shortly.  
  
“My Lord, somebody left something for you at the manor, and I think you’d better see it for yourself.” He said, anxious.  
  
Ciel put down his violin and huffed. “Fine. Bring it in.”  
  
Finny ran off. Seconds later, he came bringing in a black dog, wearing a blue ribbon tied in a bow, and wagging it’s tail.   
  
Ciel blinked. “A… Dog?”  
  
Finny nodded. “The card on it said it was for Earl Phantomhive.”  
  
“Card from who, Finny?”  
  
“It didn’t say, my Lord.” Finny said, petting the creature. “But he seems awfully sweet.”  
  
It was in that moment that the sound of whimpering reached the ears of all those present.  
  
As one, every eye in the room went to Sebastian, who was whimpering and trembling against Agni as he clutched at his Sherwani.  
  
“Shishu?” Agni asked gently. “What is the matter, little one?”

Sebastian let out a sob. He did not point to the dog, nor make any indication that it was the problem, but to Ciel it was obvious.  
  
“He doesn’t like dogs.” Ciel said, offhandedly. “Never has. He’s always preferred cats.”

“Has he ever been _afraid_ of them?” Agni asked.  
  
“No… Why?” Ciel asked.  
  
“He’s shaking like a leaf. I do not like this. Something is not right.” Agni said.  
  
 _Perhaps he has a point._ Ciel thought to himself. _Sebastian has never been fond of dogs, but they’ve never scared him either. And a card giving it to me without naming a sender is suspicious. Even still, babies usually like animals, don’t they? Unless…  
  
_ Ciel felt his eyes widen imperceptibly.  
  
 _Sebastian can tell when creatures aren’t human. So what if the reason he’s afraid is because that dog isn’t really a dog? What if it’s another demon hound?_

As Ciel reached that conclusion, Agni was beginning to draw the same one. His Sebby had been perfectly fine before the dog came in. A dislike of dogs might have meant crying from his babe, but the _shaking_ tipped him off. His babe was afraid of the creature.   
  
The dog came further into the room, sniffing at Ciel and seeming perfectly happy with him. But Agni did not trust that. He looked to Prince Soma. “My prince, I ask that you please keep away from the creature. I do not believe it is a regular dog.”  
  
“Do you think it perhaps the reincarnation of Samara, the goddess of all dogs?” He asked.  
  
“No, highness. I believe it may be a demon.”  
  
“A _demon_?” Soma asked, incredulous.  
  
“Yes, highness. Babies are excellent judges of character. I do not believe that Sebastian would be afraid of it without good reason. Please, trust in me.”  
  
“I do.” Prince Soma nodded.  
  
“Lord Phantomhive, please, back away from the creature. It is my duty to protect you in Khansama’s absence.”  
  
Ciel, aghast at the revelation, simply nodded, and backed away.  
  
The dog caught sight of Sebastian and abruptly changed. It tensed, and let out a growl. Sebby, in response, let out an ear-splitting screech, and began to sob. Though He wanted desperately to comfort his babe, Agni first had to deal with the threat. He shifted Sebby onto his back to deal with the dog.  
  
It stepped forward one leg at a time, growling, with it’s fur sticking up, ready to attack. Agni, however, maintained a calm but stern demeanor.   
  
As it got close, His voice was commanding.   
  
“SIT!” It was a shout that echoed through the manor.   
  
The dog stopped it’s advance suddenly, whimpered, and sat. 

He leaned in close. “Go. Outside.” He ordered.  
  
The dog let out a whine, and Agni turned to Finnian. “I beg your pardon, young man. Could you please see to it that this dog is taken off of the manor grounds?”  
  
Finny, who had been momentarily stunned by the shout himself, gave a nod. “O-Of course. Yeah.”

He waited until the dog was out of the room before he pulled Sebby into his arms, and turned to Lord Phantomhive.  
  
“My Lord, would you please allow me a few minutes to calm this little one down before we return to your lessons?” Agni asked.  
  
Ciel, still a bit dazed by the events that had occurred in the span of under two minutes, gave a nod.   
  
“Excellent. Please, excuse me, and I will be back shortly.” He said, bowing to his master and Lord Phantomhive, before he went to calm his little one. “Come, Shishu. Let’s get you a bottle to drink and have some time to calm down, hmmm?”  
  
With that, he carried his little one out of the room, leaving a dazed Ciel and an unsurprised Prince Soma in his wake.  
  
“What the bloody hell just happened?” Ciel asked, trying to collect himself.  
  
“Agni tamed a demon dog.” Soma stated, as matter-of-factly as if he were talking about the weather.  
  
“I saw _that_. I’m just having trouble _believing_ it.”  
  
“Agni has spent much time in meditation and prayer. He has found his center and his place in the world. Because of that, he can be calm in any circumstance. He shouted only to surprise the creature into stopping, before he spoke to it calmly in order to arouse its compassion and obedient spirit.” He said. “He does not just have the hand of a goddess, he has the knowledge of how to handle all creatures the same as a goddess would have.” Soma explained.  
  
Ciel processed this for a moment. “I see.” He said finally.   
  
It was all he could manage. Before he completely relaxed, he found himself feeling relieved. _At least Sebastian isn’t completely useless in this state. If he reacts like that again, to something, at least, then I’ll know something is wrong.  
  
_ In the meanwhile, Agni had gone to Sebastian’s room and gotten a bottle from the trunk, before he went to the kitchen to put milk in it. That done, he began to boil a pot of water before sticking the bottle in, and slowly turning it around in the hot water. All the while, he spoke calmly and reassuringly to his Shishu. The volume in the wails decreased dramatically as he spoke to him with gentle reassurances and bounced him ever so slightly on his hip.

"Shhhh. It's okay, Shishu. No need for tears now. Papa is here.” He promised. “I know how frightening that must have been for you, but it is all over now. Papa will never let anything hurt you.” He promised. “You are safe now. You are always safe with me.”

When the bottle was done, he carried his still sniffling babe back to the drawing room, where he sat down on the couch with his little one across his lap, before sticking the bottle into his little one’s mouth.  
  
“Now then, Lord Phantomhive, we may continue your lessons.” He said. “I have a challenge for you, if you are willing?”  
  
Ciel brightened imperceptibly at the word challenge. “Go on. I’m listening.”  
  
“Can you play “Wiegenlied: Guten Abend, gute Nacht” by Brahms from memory?”  
  
“Of course I can.” He said, nearly offended. “It’s nowhere near as complex as anything I’ve been working on as of late?”  
  
“Will you show me?” Agni asked.  
  
Ciel let his breath out in a puff. “Very well.” He said, and began to play.  
  
As he played, he did not notice Agni beginning to sing the words to the song, or Sebastian’s eyes beginning to droop. By the time he finished it, about to look at Agni and give a clever retort, he realized that Agni had used his lesson as a way to put Sebastian to sleep.  
  
Though he wanted to be angry about the perceived slight of his intellect, he instead could only find himself respecting the ingenuity of the idea, and relieved that the ear-splitting wails had ceased.  
  
“Very clever.” He conceded. Agni, in response, gave him a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four is coming soon! Comment prompts you want to see if you have them!


	4. Dress Up (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected visitor comes to the Phantomhive Manor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> Holy crap it's been a crazy busy day today. I haven't had much time to write, but I managed to get this out. Also, in other news, I got third place in a writing contest on another site today! So I'm so excited about that!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

For the short while Sebastian was napping, Ciel’s lessons continued on. When he awoke, Agni kept his babe in his lap. Sebby was incredibly clingy to him after the dog incident. He did not detangle his fingers from his Papa’s Sherwani, nor did he let go of Midnight. He suckled furiously on his pacifier, and if- heaven forbid- Papa moved and he lost his grip on him, he would burst into tears until Papa calmed him down.  
  
Agni was not opposed to his little one being clingy. In truth, it was good for him too. The thought of that dog getting near his Shishu was enough to set his teeth on edge. Holding him was as much a comfort for him as it was to Sebby. It made him feel good to be able to comfort his babe, any time he got upset. It felt wonderful just to hold him. Rubbing his back and cuddling him was healing for the both of them.  
  
After Ciel’s lessons were over, Agni attended to his master, helping him understand some English customs that were confusing him, before it was time for him to prepare lunch. That proved to be quite a challenge. Trying to cook while holding a baby would be hard, he was sure. But trying to cook while holding a baby that was in the body of an _adult_ was possibly the most difficult thing he’d ever done. He’d had to be vigilant and alert, to be sure that his Shishu wasn’t reaching for anything hot, and to be sure that the food wasn’t burning.  
  
Somehow- and he truly had no idea how he managed it- Sebby came out with no burns, and the food came out the same way. He wheeled out and served lunch to his master and Lord Phantomhive, before he attempted to feed his little one. It was far more difficult this time. He’d tried to feed Sebby from his lap, knowing that if he tried to set him down, it would make him inconsolable. But even from the safety of Papa’s lap, Sebby would not eat. He held up his stuffed cat Midnight as though she would make it go away, and hid behind her. Agni let out a deep sigh and set the bowl of mashed vegetables aside. There was no point in trying to feed his babe when he wasn’t willing to do it.  
  
He ate his own lunch in the kitchen, holding his Shishu as he did so. So long as his little one did not lose his grip on him, he was able to eat in relative peace. After he ate, he cleared the table of the dishes in the dining room and washed them. He was in the middle of scrubbing the soup pot when he heard the distinct sound of a door slamming against the wall from another room.  
  
Alarmed, with flashes of the demon dog running through his mind, he bolted from the kitchen to the dining room, the only thought going through his mind being that he had to protect Prince Soma and Lord Phantomhive.  
  
When he got there, he found a blonde-haired girl with pigtails, embracing the Earl in what looked to be a bone-crushing hug. He let himself calm at that. Unless this girl was going to hug the Earl to death, it was likely they were safe.   
  
“Lizzie, what are you doing here?” Ciel asked.  
  
“Ciel! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here! I got you the most _adorable_ outfit while I was in London today and I just couldn’t wait to show you!” The bubbly girl squealed.  
  
Her blonde hair was in twin pigtails in spiral curls, and her eyes were a lovely shade of emerald green. It took him a moment to place who she was, but then he remembered. The Earl’s fiancée, Elizabeth Midford. He’d met her at a dance on one occasion, but only briefly. He felt his shoulders relax at it truly dawned on him that there was no threat to his master or Lord Phantomhive here.  
  
It seemed to take Elizabeth a few moments to realize that the two of them were not alone. She took note of Prince Soma first (as Agni had expected- his Prince was radiant as the sun, so of course she would see him first) before she looked at himself and Sebastian.  
  
Watching the Lady’s face contort into confusion might have been laughable were it not for the circumstances surrounding what happened.  
  
“Ciel, why is Sebastian dressed that way?” She asked.  
  
Ciel sighed. “I’m afraid that Sebastian is not quite himself at the moment, Lady. While protecting me from a ruffian, he was accidentally hypnotized. For the moment, he is for all intents and purposes an infant. Agni, Prince Soma’s butler, is currently caring for him, and helping to fill his shoes around the manor.”  
  
This seemed to clear up a bit of her confusion. “Do you know when he’ll be back to normal, then?”  
  
“Agni has suggested it will take a few days, but he should be good as new. Do not trouble yourself, Elizabeth. I assure you, Sebastian will be perfectly fine.”  
  
Elizabeth looked from her fiancé to Sebastian, peering at him intently, perhaps trying to discern some glint of Sebastian’s usual self. The babe clinging to Agni’s shirt and a stuffed animal while trying to hide his face in his neck showed no glimmer of who he had used to be. Then, she stepped toward him, and Agni.  
  
“Do you mind if I see him?” She asked.  
  
Agni smiled softly at the young girl. He considered himself to be rather perceptive, and he could see the innocent joy she radiated. She would be incapable of hurting his babe.  
  
“Certainly, Lady.” He said. “Please, feel free. He is a bit clingy to me today, though. I do not believe he will be as lively as usual.”  
  
“Of course.” She said, and looked at Sebastian. He was still trying to hide his face. It was as though he knew who she was. And yet, when she called his name, and he spared her a glance, he looked at her like a spooked little animal staring into the jaws of a large creature. But when he saw her smile at him looking at her, it did seem to draw him out just a little.  
  
Then, all at once, Agni watched her fall head over heels for his babe.  
  
“Aren’t you just the most adorable little thing!” She enthused, tickling under his chin.  
  
His Shishu giggled, and the sound warmed him like the first rays of spring sunlight after a bitterly cold winter. Sebby gave a happy little squirm when she tickled him, and he’d never been so grateful to have been so frightened in all his life.   
  
“You are such a precious little angel!” Elizabeth squeaked.  
  
“Angel?” Ciel murmured under his breath in a mocking tone.  
  
“Oh, Ciel, he’s absolutely the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! How on earth can you not look at him and melt?!” She said. “I know! He needs some clothing to make him even cuter!” She smiled.  
  
“Clothing?” Ciel asked, aghast.  
  
“But of course! Have you ever seen a baby that didn’t have on something adorable? No!” She said. “Now, we’ll have to find you some outfits! I think there’s a shop in London that could-“  
  
“I beg your pardon, Lady. We?” Ciel asked.  
  
“But of course! We’d have to get him fit for any clothing he wore. Since- I’m sorry, what was your name again?” Elizabeth asked.  
  
“Agni, my Lady.”  
  
“Since _Agni_ is filling in for Sebastian he would have to take the carriage, and naturally you would have to come too. What good would it do you to be alone? Besides, we could get some clothes as well. It will be so much fun! I’ll pick out the cutest bonnets for little Sebastian!” She squealed. “Oh please, Ciel? Won’t you come shopping with me?”  
  
“Lizzie, couldn’t your footman take you to do the shopping?” He asked. “It would put a lot less pressure on Agni. While I can somewhat understand your desire, he is already fulfilling the duties of two butlers and It would not be fair to pull him away from his master, and would likely be far easier on him if he did not have to leave the manor, given how Sebastian has been today.While I would love to go shopping with you, Lady, I fear it would be putting our guest in an imposition.” He said, thinking of a quick excuse to try and get out of it. Truthfully, Agni was somewhat grateful for the idea of not having to leave the manor. His Shishu was being particularly clingy today, and he wanted him to be in familiar surroundings.  
  
“I never thought about it that way.” Elizabeth admitted. Thinking a moment, she looked to Ciel. “Alright then. How about I have my footman take the two of us into town and we’ll go shopping on our own?"  
  
Ciel could feel the sting of defeat strike him as his earlier words came back to bite him. He let out a sigh. He had no choice but to indulge her, really. “I would love to.” He said. He was lying through his teeth, but the sight of Elizabeth’s bright smile and sound of her squeal of happiness was _almost_ enough to make the pain of his own idiocy tolerable.  
  
Agni smiled at the pair of them, before he turned to Prince Soma.  
  
“My prince, do you wish to go with them?”  
  
His Prince smiled. “Much as I would like to, I believe I would like to stay here and take a nap for a while. I’m not used to waking so early, you know.”  
  
Agni smiled warmly. “Very good, highness.”  
  
Ciel took a breath. “I suppose I’ll be leaving you in charge of the manor for now, Agni. Make sure Mei-Rin, Finny, and Bard know that I’m leaving. They’ll take care of things if anything happens.”  
  
“Certainly, Lord Phantomhive.” He smiled.

“Very well.” Ciel said, before turning to his fiancée. “Let me get my coat, hat, and walking stick and we can be on our way.”

Elizabeth giggled and took his arm. “Sounds perfect. I can’t wait.”

Ciel nodded. “Yes, I suppose you can’t. Let’s go to the foyer then.” He said, and looked to Agni. “You’ll be fine here for a while, yes?”  
  
“Of course, Lord Phantomhive. Please, enjoy your time with your fiancée. All will be well here when you return.” Agni promised, smiling.  
  
Ciel Phantomhive gave a curt nod, before letting Elizabeth’s bouncy frame whisk him into the next room.

  
Agni, in the meanwhile, smiled at his master. “My prince, do you need anything before you retire for the afternoon?”  
  
Prince Soma looked at him, smiling. “Not at the moment, but perhaps later you would indulge me and make my favorite for dessert? English cooking is nowhere near as good as what we have back home.”  
  
Agni let out a chuckle at that. “I most certainly agree. I will be glad to, highness.” He smiled.  
  
“I believe I’ll go to bed now, Agni. Will you be alright?"  
  
“Certainly, Prince. You don’t need to worry.” He smiled.  
  
Prince Soma gave him a smile, before he went toward his room.  
  
After that, Agni was busy, hopping from one job to the next. He informed the other servants of Lord Phantomhive’s departure, cleared the dining room table, dealt with leftovers from lunch, finished cleaning the kitchen, and fed his babe a bottle, before he could at last take a moment to breathe.   
  
Sitting on Sebastian’s bed, he could feel exhaustion weighing his bones with lead. How was it that he’d had a full night’s sleep and yet could feel so tired already, when it was barely after noon? It was perhaps the token hardship of parenthood. Never-ending exhaustion from a never-ending list of things to do. But, for the moment, he could rest.  
  
His Shishu was in his lap, playfully batting at his braids like a cat might bat at string. He was completely transfixed on playing with the soft white braids. Despite his exhaustion, he felt himself smiling. The smile on his little one’s face was certainly worth his own tiredness. He asked for nothing more than to have his physical and emotional needs met. Nothing more and nothing less was required. What kind of Papa would he be if he dared deny him that?  
  
For the moment, though, all was good with the world. There was no evil to thwart, no orders to follow, and no duty to uphold for the time being. It was just him and his Shishu, and that was all there should have been.

Smiling, he gently booped his little one on the nose, earning a giggle from the babe.  
  
“What do you say we take a nap, Sebby?” He asked, cuddling his boy close, and giving him a kiss on the forehead.  
  
Sebby, in response, let out a pleased noise, before he snuggled deeper into his Papa.  
  
“Alright then, it’s settled. And when we get up, we’ll get you dressed up in something nice.” He said, and laid down with his babe clinging to his Sherwani.  
  
In no time at all, they were both fast asleep.


	5. Dress Up (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's just a game of dress up, isn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun with this chapter :3 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy Sebby's Fashion Show, Agni's proud Dad moment, and Ciel's little realization.

Agni’s nap was relatively short- perhaps an hour. He could feel his Shishu wiggling in his arms not long after he’d fallen asleep, and it certainly impaired his ability to sleep. However, rest was rest, and it was far better than getting none at all. When his eyes opened, he realized his little one was still asleep, but was wiggling about in his sleep. Not thrashing, necessarily, but wiggling frequently. There was a moment of disconnect for him- sleep making it incredibly difficult to process things as he normally would- before he realized his babe was having a nightmare.

Softly, he began to sing into Sebby’s ear, hoping to calm him down. There was a moment of stillness from him- as though all his limbs had gone stiff- before he slowly began to calm down, and finally went still, breathing evenly again. There was no trace of upset left. He wanted it to stay that way, so he kept singing to him. The entire time his babe was asleep, he sang. Lullabies, Nursery Rhymes- anything he could think of. Anything to keep the nightmares at bay. And when his Shishu finally awoke, he smiled and cooed happily.  
  
Agni let out a chuckle and put a kiss to his forehead. “Good afternoon, little one.” He smiled. “I take it you slept well.”  
  
Sebby, in response, proceeded to stick a mittened hand into his mouth, beginning to chew on it. His pacifier had fallen out of his mouth while he was asleep, and he needed something to chew. Agni went to the trunk and pulled a dark purple pacifier out, before returning to his babe.  
  
“No, Shishu. Mittens are not for chewing. Nor are fingers.” He said gently, and removed the boy’s mittened hand from his mouth, earning a whine of protest that was quickly silenced by the pacifier replacing it. Sebby looked none too pleased with it, and showed it by pouting. However, his face just made Agni chuckle. “It is alright, little one. You will thank Papa later.” He smiled, before he tickled him- just to see him smile again.  
  
Naturally, it worked.  
  
When his babe was happy again, he picked him up, and did a sweep of the Phantomhive Manor. His Prince was still asleep in the guest room, and the other servants had busied themselves with things around the house. Mei-Rin had set to work on the laundry, Finny had begun trimming lose branches from tree, and Bardroy had busied himself peeling potatoes for dinner. Tanaka, in the meanwhile, had sat himself on one of the couches, sipping a cup of tea.

All was calm in the manor of the moment, and Agni savored it. It was a rare time when peaceful harmony was achieved in a home as large as this. Intent on enjoying this time, he took his Shishu outside for a little bit, just to get in some time out of the manor itself. The sky was an azure blue, with few clouds blocking it. The sun shined down brightly, and the air was redolent of the sweet perfume of roses that surrounded the backyard on thorny bushes. A very gentle breeze swept through the trees and plants of the manor, and made leaves shake a bit against their branches.

Agni took a seat in a chair near the backdoor, taking it all in. He believed firmly in the idea of stopping every now and then to smell the roses. It was important to him to appreciate the beautiful world that the gods and goddesses had blessed him with. Now was perhaps the most appreciative he had been of the beautiful world around him, because of the babe now sitting in his lap. He looked at his Shishu, and saw him looking around- seemingly astounded by everything he saw. Every flower, every tree, every blade of grass was something to behold in his eyes. All people could learn something from from his babe, he thought. If people retained that sense of wonder about the world, there would be far less pain in it.  
  
He smiled, shutting his eyes for a second to pray his thanks to Kali, the mother of nature, for this beautiful day, and this magnificent moment, before he opened his eyes again, and smiled down at his Shishu. Currently, he was trying to squirm from his Papa’s lap in order to get down. Agni didn’t dare oblige that up here on the patio where there were breakables around, so instead picked him up to carry him over to the grassy backyard, and sat him down there, watching him.  
  
His mittened hands went to the grass, Patting it a few times before…

Agni gasped softly. He blinked once, twice, before he was certain what he was seeing was true. His Sebby was crawling. He hadn’t been able to sit up by himself yesterday, and now he was able to crawl. In the initial shock, he found himself thinking that yes, his boy would most certainly be back to normal in a few days, before absolute joy took hold. His Shishu was crawling!  
  
Agni scooped his boy up joyously and spun him around, earning a giggle, before giving him a kiss of forehead.  
  
“My boy.” He smiled.

Sebby reached up, and patted his cheek. “Pa Pa.”

Agni felt joyous tears streaming down his face as he pressed his Shishu’s hand to his cheek and touched his forehead to his own, closing his eyes to enjoy a precious moment of connection with his boy.

How long the moment lasted, he did not know. It felt as though time had stopped especially for the two of them. It was a bonding moment between the two of them, and whether Sebastian remembered it when this was all over or not was irrelevant, because he would never forget it. Undoubtedly one of his most difficult struggles was with the concept of time. Though it was particularly relevant to his being a Papa, he’d struggled with the idea all his life. He’d longed for the ability to do over so much of his life, to make so many different decisions for himself. As a Papa, however, his greatest struggle was with the inability to make time slow down or stop when he wanted it to. Every moment with Sebby was incredibly precious, and so often he’d wished to be able to make time slow down or even just stop so he could enjoy it more. Time, it seemed, had acquiesced to him in this one, shining instant, and he was incredibly grateful for it.  
  
As with all moments, however, eventually it had to pass. Time restarted itself and he opened his eyes. Nothing had changed. The sun still shined, the gentle breeze still blue, and the trees still stretched upward to try and touch the sky. All of this was still the same, and yet he felt completely different. He couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason. He and his Shishu had shared many special moments together before now, and all of them were significant, so why was this particular one hitting him so hard emotionally?

It took him a few minutes to realize the answer. Because that was a first that every father was supposed to experience with his son. And now he had. It was the first time he hadn’t felt isolated from other parents. He’d experienced firsts with Sebby before, but there was nobody to share them with that would not judge about it. This was the first incident that made him feel a part of the parental community. It was so strange to feel like one small incident had indoctrinated him into fatherhood and made him feel he was accepted, but it was true. He at last felt as though he belonged to it truly, because of one universal and connecting moment that all fathers shared.  
  
He sat there a while with his boy, giving him gentle hugs, soft kisses, and light tickles to hear him giggle. These moments were so precious and fleeting. He didn’t want to forget one second of them. He cuddled him closely, and even allowed him to crawl on the grass for a time, just because it was a fantastic reminder of that beautiful endless moment. His little one enjoyed the freedom and was so curious about everything. He hadn’t let him near the rosebushes, but he had let him get close enough to smell one rose itself. He’d let out a sneeze when smelling it that had made Agni laugh and laugh at how adorable he was.   
  
He kissed his Shishu on the forehead. Much as he would have loved to enjoy this all day, he should be getting back inside in case Prince Soma were to awaken. So, he carried his boy back in through the back doors.

When he entered, he heard voices talking, and followed them. He made it to the drawing room, where he found Lord Phantomhive and Lady Elizabeth, with at least two armfuls of clothing and bonnets on the couch beside them, all folded up neatly.  
  
“Greetings, Lord Phantomhive, Lady Elizabeth. My apologies for not being inside when you returned, I had not realized how late it was.” Agni said, bowing to greet them.

Elizabeth turned around, smile sparkling. “Hello, Agni!” She said, cheerily. “Ciel and I found the _cutest_ things for Sebastian! He’s going to be the most _adorable_ thing this manor has ever seen!”  
  
Agni smiled at her. Bless this girl and her kind heart. “I have no doubt if you are the one picking the clothes, Lady.”  
  
Clearly that had been the right thing to say, because Elizabeth gave him a warm smile. “Would you like to see what we’ve picked out before we have him try on everything?”  
  
“But of course, Lady. I would like nothing more.” He smiled.  
  
The selection was mostly footed pajamas- the one item of children’s clothing that adults could wear in England’s harsh winter. However, there was also a shirt and pair of overalls that seemed quite boyish, and even a few onesies in lighter colors. Not to mention, of course, the array of bonnets and mittens designed to compliment the outfits.  
  
Agni smiled at her. “They are wonderful, Lady Elizabeth. I am certain he will enjoy them.”  
  
Elizabeth let out a squeal. “Thank you!”  
  
Agni then turned to Lord Phantomhive, who seemed bored by comparison.  
  
“Lord Phantomhive, may I get you anything?”

“A cup of Earl Grey and a parfait would do nicely. Elizabeth, would you care for one as well?”  
  
“That sounds lovely!”  
  
“Very well then. Agni, would you bring us two cups of tea and two parfaits?”  
  
“Of course, Lord Phantomhive.” He smiled, and went to the kitchen.  
  
It didn’t take him long at all to make a strawberry and cream parfait and some earl grey tea. He went to deliver the snack to Lord Phantomhive and his Lady, before promising the Lady a fashion show afterward. Then, taking his Shishu back to the bedroom, he went and deposited the clothes on the bed, load by load, until everything was laid out on the bed.

He began round of the fashion show with a light blue footed sleeper with mittens. Agni figured Ciel must have insisted upon having mittens for everything in order to hide Sebastian’s contract symbol. Nonetheless, he had to admit his Shishu looked adorable in it. He carried him out to show the Earl and Lady Elizabeth.

Elizabeth let out a squeal at the sight of him. Ciel was thankful he’d finished his cup of tea, because he might have spat it out at the high decibel of her pitch. Then, again, he might have spat it out anyways at the sight of Sebastian dressed that way. He was beginning to be glad he joined Elizabeth with the shopping, however wretched a process it may have been, because the sight of this was about enough to make up for it.

The next few rounds were footed sleepers with mittens, and just when Ciel was getting bored of it, he saw a sight that nearly made him laugh.  
  
The next outfit Agni had dressed Sebastian in was a light blue Onesie with a matching blue silk bonnet and mittens. The sight of Sebastian in that very nearly made him lose his composure. He took a mental photograph of the image and stored it away in his mind for a rainy day when he needed a laugh.  
  
The rest of the outfits were, in Elizabeth’s opinion, marvelous. He looked adorable in a pair of overalls, mittens, and a cap. There was also a green lacy Bonnet that looked positively delightful with a matching onesie. She couldn’t have been happier to see that her labor was so fruitful. Even better was the fact that she’d gotten to spend the day with Ciel.  
  
By the end of the fashion show, Elizabeth had worn herself out, and Ciel had made sure her footman took her home. After her carriage departed, Agni looked to the young Earl.  
  
“Lady Elizabeth is truly a wonderful girl.” He said. “I am blessed to have met her.”  
  
“Elizabeth is quite something.” He nodded. “Always full of smiles.”  
  
“She seems very well suited for you, Lord Phantomhive. And you are very good at making her happy.” He said.  
  
Ciel nearly snorted. “Me? I merely allowed her to play dress up with my butler."  
  
Agni smiled. “Perhaps. But perhaps she took more pleasure in spending time with you. Perhaps the shopping was merely a way to spend more time with you, and not just a game of dress up for the Lady.”  
  
Ciel didn’t quite know what to say to that, and a few seconds passed.  
  
“If you will excuse me, Lord Phantomhive, I should be beginning Dinner Preparations.”  
  
Ciel nodded, and Agni carried Sebby toward his bedroom to get his blanket and pillows set up in the kitchen. But Ciel himself stayed near the doorway just a bit longer, watching the carriage depart.  
  
“Yes.” He said to himself absently. “Not just a game of dress up indeed.”


	6. Normalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all is said and done, what is normal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, it's the last chapter. Thanks for taking this journey into this little multi-chapter fic with me. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have!

The next few days were relatively easier compared to the first two. There were no guests to the manor in that time, making it far easier on Agni to get all the had to done. He still served his Prince and Lord Phantomhive, but Prince Soma was incredibly understanding about the difficult position he was in, and so he was able to serve with relative ease. When this was all over, he planned to pamper his Prince with a day of relaxation in thanks. It was difficult to serve two masters to the best of his ability, but Prince Soma made it far easier on him.  
  
Lord Phantomhive also proved to be understanding about the matter. The child was considerably persnickety about how his manor was run from what he’d seen previously when Sebastian served him. Yet for him, a slight delay in how soon dinner would be ready or a slight plating error was excused. While he would have liked to believe it was because the Earl was that gracious, he was not so blind. He figured that the only reason he was not penalized for those things was possibly out of the young Lord’s own guilt over Sebastian, however well hidden it might have been. He knew that Agni was taking a responsibility that was not his own and that he was in part responsible for it because Sebastian was trying to protect him. The guilt therefore translated in some lenience for Agni since Agni was caring for him. Though the Earl needn’t have felt guilty, he knew mentioning it all, even just to give absolution, was not a smart idea. So, he kept his mouth shut, and did his best to provide exemplary service.  
  
All the while, Sebby was growing and doing better and better. Four days after the initial incident, he could walk- albeit unsteadily- and speak more words to communicate his needs. There were moments where his motor skills were distinctly unrefined- like when he slammed both of his hands into the bowl of mashed peas Agni had presented to him, and they had splattered everywhere. There were also moments where his coordination made for plenty of tears, like when he tripped over one of the rugs in the hallway and burst into sobs. Agni had spent a good twenty minutes calming him down from the shock of it all. Lord Phantomhive, at least, had been able to enjoy that, nearly laughing at the sight of his butler bumbling along like a babe. He might have laughed were it not for the circumstances. Still, undaunted, Sebby continued on. By day six, he could run, jump, and speak in fluent sentences. His body had to relearn everything as the mental constraints were being broken one thing at a time, but it did not seem to bother him, and Agni knew why.   
  
If there was ever a time he might have felt more like the child he’d so wished to be, it was now. Learning basic skills like walking and talking, all with his Papa watching over him and helping him when needed was possibly the most childish he could ever get. Though he kept it well concealed around the Earl, Agni could see the hidden delight in the ghosts of smiles that sometimes hinted at his face.   
  
Memory was also something that had to be worked on. It seemed to come back a bit at a time for him. Agni becoming Papa was no coincidence, of that he was sure. Some part of Sebby remembered their special relationship, or else it would not have happened. The memory of Ciel seemed to come next, as his behavior seemed to change around him. The servants came next, and then the acquaintances like his Prince and Lady Elizabeth. Each day, a gap in memory was filled.  
  
Finally, though, eight days after the initial incident, Sebastian was back. The hold of the hypnosis had been completely broken. Agni could tell when he went to look in on his Shishu and he was dressed in his butler’s garb. Smiling, he went inside his bedroom, shutting the door.  
  
“I see you are yourself again.” He smiled.  
  
“So it would seem.” Sebastian replied, but looked and sounded distracted.

Agni went to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Shishu?” His tone was knowing and concerned.

Sebastian swayed into the touch easily, and looked up at him. For a second, Sebby’s fear flashed in his eyes, before it was set aside.  
  
“I don’t know how to do this.” He admitted.

“Do what?” Agni asked gently.  
  
“Let things go back to the way they were.” He said. “After some of the best days in my memory, how can I? How can I just let that go?”  
  
Agni took a seat on his bed. “Come, Shishu. Sit with Papa.”  
  
Sebastian did not hesitate to do so, and Agni wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into his lap.  
  
“What makes you think you have to let these days go? They will always be a part of you, as much as anything else. Though you cannot get them back, it does not mean their memory will not stay with you. And you have not lost everything from those days either. You still have the outfits Lady Elizabeth got you, and you still have me. You always will.” He promised.   
  
Sebastian snuggled into him. “I know. I just wish I could be that part of me all the time.”  
  
“I know.” Agni said softly. “I have wished the same many times. But as much as we would both like that, we both know where our duty lies. It does not mean that you cannot wish or daydream that, but you know the job you have to do. But no matter what happens, I will still be here for you, and I will take care of you whenever you need me to. You can always take comfort in that.” He promised.

Sebastian wrapped him in a tight hug, and Agni didn’t hesitate to hug him back. He felt Sebastian bury his face in his neck.  
  
“I love you, Papa.” He said softly.  
  
“I love you too, Shishu.” He said. “You don’t ever have to worry about that. Now, are you ready to go back to work?”

“Will you stay, Papa?” He asked, looking up at him. “So we can play when the day is over.”  
  
“Of course I will.” He promised. “I’ll always be here when you need me. You can always depend on me.”

At those words, Sebby smiled softly. Papa never lied to him, and he wouldn’t ever start now.  
  
They stayed interlocked that way for a minute or two, before they broke apart.  
  
“Ready to face the day, Shishu?”  
  
“Ready, Papa.”  
  
With that, the two of them walked out of the room together, and went to start the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me all this way guys. I hope you've had fun and enjoyed the ride! Though I don't have any other ficlets planned for this series at the time of typing this little end note, if you drop me a comment with your ideas, I still might pick one up. You never know!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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